Rotary engine.



No. 881,255. PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906. H, L. WILSON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.24. 1906.

2 SHEETSS'HEET 1.

IV T/VESSES [NYE/V701? No. 831,255. 'PATENTED SEPT. 18, 1906. H. L. WILSON,

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 24. 1906.

ZSHEETS-SHEET 2.

40 isa detail section showing construction of HARRY LYNNE WILSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

Application filed March 2&, 1906. Serial No. 307,861.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY LYNNE WIL- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city and State of New York, (having a post-office address at 1556 Broadway, in said borough of Manhattan,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary SteamEngines, of which the following is a full and true specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a practical embodiment of my improvements.

Among others, the especial objects of my invention are to provide, first, an engine which attains high speed with a small expenditure of steam without vibration or loss ofmotion; second, an engine of simplified construction and having few parts; third, an engine having bearings which may be readily adjusted without taking the machine apart fourth, a rotary-engine piston having an expansible headexpanding under pressure of the steam; fifth, a rotary engine having a piston working in connection with a recessed rotary pressure part sixth, a rotary engine having a core provided with one or more pistons and with an improved steam-tight packing between said core and a rotary part; seventh, a rotary engine provided with afeedvalve movably controlled by the engine.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my engine, parts of the casing being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side view of the engine, one side or half of the casing having been removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the casing, pistons, and adjustable axle-bearings and also showing in full the power-belt, the gear for controlling the cut-off, and the sprocket for driving the feed-valve. Fig. 4

the adjustable axle-bearings. Fig. 5 is a view of the feed-valve casing, partly broken away to show the feed-valve. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the recessed rotary pressure part; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the core and engine-pistons, especiallyshowing the construction thereof to have the packing work tightly.

The form of my invention shown in the drawings is provided with a frame comprising a casing of two halves or shells A A, which are suitably bolted together by an annular series of bolts. The meeting parts of the two halves are eachrecessed or grooved concentrically with the axle-openings therethrough,

and outside of the casing and has bearings, as.

hereinafter especially described, in ring-like outwardly extensions B B, Fig.3, of the shells.

At one end the axle carries the power-pulley K, and at its other end said axle also carries a sprocket H and a gear-wheel G.

Secured to the axle d and rotatable between the shells of the casing is a core 0, and said core carries disk-like equidistant pistons O, the peripheral packings of which closely hug when under steam-pressure the inner walls of the annular chamber 1). I prefer to provide the machine with two pistons, and, as shown especially in Fig. 7, each piston may consist of a rear disk or plate X, integral with an arm extending outwardly from the core, and of a front concaved disk y, secured by bolt W to the rear plate and held away therefrom, so as to have the space a between the disks. The edge of the rear plate is beveled, as at V, and within the V-shaped space thus formed a ring-packing T is fitted.

The periphery of the core 0, where not connected with the pistons, is provided with correspondingly-shaped curved metallic packing-plates r, loosely connected with the core by slots S, permitting the packing-plates to move away from the periphery of said core under the influence of centrifugal force, as hereinafter described. Each packing-plate 1" has overhanging outer side edges and inwardly-bent ribs t t, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and the latter ribs enter edge grooves of the core 0, while the overhanging side edges are adapted to closely rub against the junctions thereof with the walls of the annular chamber 1).

At one side edge the main casing supports and has an open connection with a cylindrical or partly-cylindrical smaller casing E, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) having a head bolted thereto, and housing a rotatable steam-pressure part N in the form of a mutilated cylinder or one having a plurality of equidistant concave recesses i i, each of which is preferably large enough to permit the passage therethrough of a piston O. WVhere the pistons are, as shown, disk-shaped, the best results will be assured if the recesses 41 'i are hemispherical in shape. The part N is provided with an axle or shaft Z, parallel with axle d, and the end of said shaft outside of the cylinder E carries a gear-wheel Gr in IIO mesh (see Fig. 1) with the gear-wheel G before mentioned. As shown, the wheels G and G are so proportioned and. toothed that the core (1 (and the pistons) will move at the same speed as the part N and, as shown in Fig. 2, the periphery of the part N where not recessed will move with and engage the periphery of the core 0.

As already described, the core 0 preferably has loose peripheral packing-plates r thereon which are used to frictionally engage the unrecessed peripheral sections of the part N.

The latter part N may also have loose curved the part N, I provide an oil-cup R, Fig. 1,

and pipe leading therefrom.

Above the cylinder E is a smaller cylinder D, Figs. 1, 2, and 5, and this smaller cylinder is provided with a pipe C at its top for the entrance of steam and near its bottom with a second pipe alined with a port in the upper part of the annular chamber 1) and constituting the supply-port for said chamber.

In the cylinder D and between the upper and lower pipes I include a feed-valve for admitting and shutting off the supply of steam to the pistons and in the form shown comprising a fixed plate (the rear one) having openings at therethrough and a rotatable plate or ring P, having large openings therethrough. The plate or ring P is fixed to a shaft or axle Q, parallel with (Z and Z, which is provided outside of the frame with a sprocket II, Fig. 1. The last-named sprocket is driven from sprocket H by means of an endless chain Z.

As hereinafter observed, the parts of axle of outside of the casing pass through adjustable bearings, which are especially shown in. Figs. 3 and 4. These bearings are radially, inwardly, and outwardly adjustable within each of the rings B, (see especially Fig. 3,) and each bearing comprises four blocks 6, having one end inwardly recessed to fit axle d and the other end curved to fit the inner face of the ring B. Each block is secured in place by a threaded bolt IJ, and the bolts pass through threaded openings in the rings B and entering the blocks 6 move the same independently of one another to and from the axle d, so as to have the blocks at all times closely fit and engage the axle at opposite sides outside of the casing. Each ring B is packed at itsouter end. For this purpose each end. may carry a ring f, through which axle (1 passes, and externally threaded to engage corresponding internal threads of the ring, and a ring-packing h is shown as fitted between said part and an external ring g.

I have also shown oil-cups M M, leading into one of the blocks e for lubricating the exhaust-pipe F.

axle where moving between said adjustable bearings.

In operation steam enters by the pipe C (see especially Fig. 2) and into the part m of the upper cylinder D. From thence the steam passes by Way of the valve 1) (if open) to the supply-port of the annular chamber 1) and exerts pressure upon the front face (the concave disk 1 of the uppermost piston and also exerts pressure within the upper recess i of part N. As a consequence of the tight fit between the periphery of core 0 and the periphery of N and of the tight fit of the periphery of the latter with the inner wall of cylinder E the piston is forced to move in the direction indicated by the arrows, the ring '1 of the piston being expanded to closely hug the inner walls of the chamber 1). The movements of the piston are communicated by gears G and G to the part N, and said part is so proportioned and moved as to present a recess t at the proper moment to be entered by a piston O, and each recess is shaped to correspond to and closely engage the edge of the piston as the latter passes through the recess. The centrifugal force developed during the running of the engine imparts to the loosely-carried metallic plates J (upon N) a tendency to leave the surfaces to which they are connected, and this causes a tight frictional fit between the core and partN and between the latter and the inner walls of the cylinder E. The advance of the part N (from the position shown in Fig. 2) results in cutting off the recess& and the pressure of the steam upon the periphery of N only. 1 Thus the part N has two functions, a member against which the steam presses (and which is, in effect, a constant end wall of the chamber b) and a means for presenting at the proper times recesses through which the pistons pass. I have found that it is quite difficult to have the edges of the pistons closely conform to the recesses i at or near the point where the pistons emerge from the recesses and that consequently there is likely to be a leakage of steam between said parts to the In order to prevent this, the valve p is driven at the desired speed by sprockets H and H and closes the opening it at or about the moment that the leakage is likely to occur between the pistons and recesses.

What I claim is 1. In a rotary steam-engine, a frame comprising a casing having an annular chamber, supply and exhaust ports therefor, a rotatable feed-valve for admitting and shutting off steam through the supply-port, a piston movable through said chamber, an axle connected with said piston, a cylindrical part revolubly mounted in said frame and provided with a recess conforming to and for receiving and closely engaging the edges of the piston when passing through said recess, connece tions from said axle for driving the recessed part, a sprocket driven by said axle, a sprocket driving the feed-valve, and a chain connecting the two sprockets.

2. In a rotary steam-engine, a frame comprising a casing having an annular chamber, supply and exhaust ports therefor, an axle, within the casing, a core connected with said axle, a piston connected with the core and movable within the annular chamber, a cylindrical part revolubly mounted in said casing and provided with a recess conforming to and for closely engaging the edges of the piston when passing through said recess, and steam-packing means between the periphery of the core and the periphery of said cylindrical recessed part, said steam-packing 'means comprising a curved metallic plate loosely connected with one of said parts, for frictional engagement under centrifugal action with the periphery of the other part.

3. In a rotary steam-engine, a frame comprising a casing having an annular chamber, supply and exhaust ports therefor, an axle within the casing, a core connected with said axle, a piston connected with said core and movable through the annular chamber, a second chamber opening from the annular chamber, a cylindrical part separately and rotatably mounted in said frame and constituting the means for maintaining the pressure upon said piston, and a curved metallic plate loosely connected with the periphery of the cylindrical part aforesaid for frictional engagement under centrifugal action with the interior of the second-named chamber and with the periphery of the core aforesaid.

4. In a rotary steam-engine, a frame comprising a casing having an annular chamber, supply and exhaust ports therefor, an axle within said frame, and a piston connected with said axle and movable through the annular chamber aforesaid, saidpiston having a forward plate and a rear plate disconnected at their edges, and an elastic ring of metal fitted between said plate edges.

5. In a rotary steam-engine, a frame comprising a casing, an annular circular chamber, supply and exhaust ports therefor, a plurality of disk-shaped pistons movable through said chamber, a core connecting the pistons with an axle, a sprocket-wheel and a gear-wheel secured upon said axle, a second chamber opening from the annular chamber aforesaid, a cylindrical part revolubly mounted in said second chamber and provided with concave recesses one for each piston and each recess conforming to and for receiving and closely engaging the edges of a piston when passing through said recess, a gear-wheel secured to the cylindrical recessed part and in mesh with the aforesaid gear-wheel, a rotatable feed-valve for admitting and shutting off steam through the before-mei1tioned sup ply-port, a sprocket connected with said feed-valve for driving the same, and a chain connecting said sprocket with that secured upon the axle.

prising a casing an annular circular chamber, supply and exhaust ports therefor, a diskshaped piston movable through said chamber, a core connecting the piston with an axle, a cylindrical part revolubly mounted in said frame and provided with a concave recess for receiving and closely engaging the edges of the piston when passing through said recess, and connections from said axle for driving the recessed part.

7. In a rotary steam-engine, a frame comprising a casing having an annular chamber, supply and exhaust ports therefor, a piston movable through said chamber, an axle connected with said piston, a cylindrical part revolubly mounted in said frame and provided with a recess conforming to and for receiving and closely engaging the edges of the piston when passing through said recess, connections from said axle for driving the recessed part, and means separate from the cylindrical part for supplying steam to and cutting it off from the aforesaid supply-port, said means comprising a fixed plate having openings therethrough, a rotatable plate having openings therethrough, and connections from the aforesaid axle for driving the rotatable plate to bring its openings into register with those of the fixed plate and to close said openings as described.

HARRY LYNNE WILSON.

Witnesses:

IRA M. FLIOKINGER, AUsTIN M. BEATTIE.

6. In a rotary steam-engine, a frame com- 

